Pseudonarcolepsy in an 11-year-old boy.
Narcolepsy is a common disorder with a prevalence of 0.56/1000. Patients present with a classic tetrad of excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations, which is seen only rarely in children. The term ;narcolepsy' is taken from Greek and means ;seized by somnolence'; it was first described in 1880 by Gelineau. This article is a case study of an 11-year-old male with pseudonarcolepsy. He presented to accident and emergency with episodes of falling asleep at inappropriate and unexpected times, often falling to the floor. Pseudonarcolepsy is a term coined to describe the phenomenon in which a patient presents with the symptoms and signs of narcolepsy, but the origin is psychogenic. Differential diagnosis, investigation and possible aetiology are discussed, along with treatment and outcome.
Hvidsten
Sasha
S
The Elms Health Centre, UK. sashahvidsten@hotmail.com
Bates
Gordon
G
D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000175:diagnosis*